Given those pre-war actions, and given the terrible toll the war has taken on American military personnel, most Americans are wary of the president's claim that America must "stay the course" and no policy changes are needed.

As he argued this approach Tuesday, American troops were coping with the aftermath of a brazen raid on an Iraqi prison near the Iranian border.

About 100 masked gunmen stormed the prison, freed the inmates and left 20 Iraqi policemen dead.

Just a few months ago, a civil war in Iraq was seen as something to worry about in the future. Now Iraqis, notably
Ayad Allawi
, a former Iraqi prime minister, say civil war is at hand.

Tuesday, the president was asked when American troops will finally be brought home from Iraq. He said "future presidents and future governments of Iraq" would make that decision.

It was a stunning admission that the president now sees this war in Iraq as a long-term affair, contrary to administration predictions that Iraqi oil would pay for the war, American troops would be greeted as liberators and the American military presence would be drawn down after just six months.

The president's new candor should go beyond words. The current policy of "staying the course" is not working. A new policy is needed, as is new leadership.

It is the United States that will decide when American troops come home. That must be made clear to Iraqi political and religious leaders who prefer to argue and maneuver for personal power, content to have American troops protect them well into the future.

As for new leadership, Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld
should not be in charge of this war.

He sent American military personnel into Iraq without sufficient support in terms of troop force and supplies.

His plan for the occupation did not go beyond wishful thinking.

He has bullied and even pushed into retirement the military leaders who challenged his notions about Iraq, before and after the invasion.

He is so busy defending his bad decisions that he cannot come to terms with the reality of life in Iraq.

A record like that should not be rewarded. Along with more presidential candor, the nation needs new leadership at the
Pentagon
.